"Moth" Pendant

Lucien Gaillard

ca. 1900 · Pendant: Gold, champlevé enamel, citrines, carved horn; Box: cardboard, silk · Modern and Contemporary Art

Lucien Gaillard was the son and grandson of Parisian jewelers, as well as the brother of the noted Art Nouveau furniture designer Eugène Gaillard. After Lucien took over the family firm in 1892, the emphasis switched to metalworking, frequently inspired by Japanese prototypes. Around the turn of the century, with the encouragement of his friend René Lalique, Gaillard turned back to jewelry. His designs, like many by Lalique, incorporated unusual materials such as horn and ivory combined with more traditional precious stones, gold and enamel. The insect motif of this brooch is typical of the period.

Artist

Lucien Gaillard

Date

ca. 1900

Medium

Pendant: Gold, champlevé enamel, citrines, carved horn; Box: cardboard, silk

Department

Modern and Contemporary Art

Credit line

Purchase, Dorothy Merksamer Bequest, in honor of Cynthia Hazen Polsky, 2000